Angelus Patronus
by RosieG
Summary: Long-awaited sequel to "Angelus Candidus". An untimely death leaves a child orphaned and alone and Cedric takes up position of Guardian to a boy that should have been his. HarryGinny, CedricCho
1. Prologue

**Prologue:**

Alone.

That was the one word she repeated in her mind, over and over to herself.

How had it come to this?

She looked around the dingy apartment, not really seeing anything. Not seeing the cracked dishes piled up in the sink, the laundry strewn across the floor. Not seeing the peeling wallpaper and paint, the spotted rug, the cracked glass windows. Not seeing the sagging sofa, the breaking chairs…

No, she saw nothing. She could only feel the complete emptiness in everything around her.

She could only feel the pain.

She screamed as another wave crashed over her, losing her balance and falling to her knees while clutching at her stomach in terror. Something was wrong. Something was terribly wrong. She could feel frantic movement, she knew she had to do something, but the pain had practically blinded her and rendered her helpless. And she was alone. Again.

Another wave hit her, stronger than before, barely thirty seconds after the previous one. She suddenly knew with complete certainty that if she didn't get to the hospital, she would die.

And so would the child.

"STOP!" she screamed in anguish, another contraction causing her to break out in terrible sobs. "Please, stop!"

She writhed on the floor, not having the strength to reach the fireplace and call for help.

As the next contraction hit, she felt something wet on her legs and looked down. There, like an omen of death, a crimson stain was forming on her skirt. Blood.

"No, please…" she cried softly, pleadingly, though she didn't know who she pleaded with. "Please," she cried, tears streaming down her face. "Please not him. Please save him…"

Another contraction hit and she collapsed completely, blacking out. However, before she lost complete consciousness, she heard the door crash open and a woman's shocked voice.

"_Oh my God! Cho!"_

Then- silence.

Somewhere, above the clouds, someone _had_ been listening, helpless, to the screams and pleas for help, struggling against the grips of his colleagues, holding him back. Waiting for a chance, any chance to be allowed to Answer…

The restraints had been necessary; he'd been trying to go to her since the contractions had begun, since it had become obvious that something had gone terribly amiss, but the other Brilliants in his order wouldn't allow it. No matter how much he'd flailed, screamed, pleaded- nearly sobbing, to be allowed to go to her, they had kept him back.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew. He understood. This was one time he would not be allowed to intervene. But that knowledge didn't stop him from trying.

"Let me go!" he snarled at last, using all of his strength in a sudden attempt to break free. There had been four Whites holding him back and at his sudden outburst, another was forced to join in. Two of them were crying in silent compassion, all of them looked grim.

"Cedric, you can't do anything this time," said a wizened old man in flowing silver robes in a sad, yet gentle voice. His eyes twinkled softly in the dying light, full of understanding. He had been trying to reason with Cedric since he'd been summoned.

Cedric grimaced, still fighting. "Let me go!" he yelled again, unwilling to listen.

"Cedric-"

"If you don't let me go, I'll tear your wings off." Cedric's voice had gone dangerously low, an almost maniacal glint forming in his eyes.

The old man did not reply immediately, taking Cedric's threat in stride, as though he had expected it. Perhaps he had. Cedric _was_ his grandson, after all.

"It will be more painful for you if you go to her. She is suffering."

There was a moment's silence before Cedric at last slumped against the arms holding him. Defeat crept into his voice as he spoke to his grandfather and mentor. "Do you think I don't know that? I know there's nothing I can do and it's tearing at my soul. But if I'm not there now, I'll never forgive myself." He paused, shoulders shaking with his grief. "Let me go. _Please._ I want to be the first one she sees on the other side. I want to be the one to guide her back." Cedric paused and took a deep breath. "And," he looked up with authority, "I've already accepted her Cry."

The elder shook his head. "I already told you, you can't-" Cedric cut him off.

"Not that Cry. I can't save her, I know. I'm going to save her child."

The room was silent, save for the 'beep' of the monitor as the doctor operated. The woman had arrived unconscious, and the doctor knew she would never awake again. Heavy internal bleeding and hemorrhaging, liver and kidney failure, the results of an undiagnosed auto-immune disease… But perhaps the worst was the lack of movement from the fetus. The ultrasound indicated that the chances the baby would be born alive were almost zero. Nonetheless, the caesarian was under-way, on the off-chance the baby would live.

Cedric stood a foot away, eyes dull, unfeeling as he watched. They had finally released him above, having been left with no choice. The cold penetrated every part of his soul, a deeper chill than any he had ever felt on his previous trips below. He didn't think he would ever be able to get warm again.

The silence pressed down all around Cedric and the presence of Death was near-tangible.

"Wait…" Cedric found himself pleading with the unseen presence, "Wait just a bit longer…"

He was sure he could hear Death laughing. He waited for no one.

Finally, the baby was extracted, and rushed immediately to a nearby table and placed under a heating lamp. It was blue. And it wasn't breathing.

The doctors massaged its chest and cleared its airway. They rubbed it, chafed it, moved its limbs up and down. On and on for two minutes before finally declaring the baby dead. A nurse came forward, shaking her had sadly and wrapped the baby in a blanket as the doctors dispersed.

Cedric came closer, peering tentatively over the nurse's shoulder at the babe in her arms. It was a boy and it was…

_It was hers._

He could see it in the slightly slanted eyes, in the tuft of shiny black hair…

Cedric didn't even try to stop his tears as he spread his wings, their full magnificence filling the room, before wrapping them around himself and the nurse holding the baby. He began a desperate battle with Death, using every part of his soul he could to create a barrier between the life-ending presence and the life not yet begun. With children, Fate was never sealed. There was still a chance.

The nurse would later exclaim that she had never felt such a sense of security or warmth in her entire life, the way she had felt at that moment. As though a warm wind had cradled her, saying that everything would be all right. She had never been a believer, but in that moment, she was suddenly filled with a certainty that angels _did_ exist. And the miracle which closely followed proved it to her.

Cho's monitor suddenly flat-lined.

A cry filled the air as the baby drew air into his lungs for the first time.

Cedric watched the nurse's eyes go wide in shock as she looked between the baby in her arms to his mother, who now lay dead on the operating table. Then she rushed the small child back under the heating lamp, as the doctors all crowded around him once again.

Cedric himself almost fell to the floor, weak from the energy he had exerted, but he couldn't help the soft smile that appeared on his face, even as the sound of Cho's monitor wailed in the background, the long ominous sound ringing throughout the room. He felt Death smirk. Perhaps he had lost the child, but he would not leave without having fulfilled his duty somehow.

Cedric shook his head. At least Cho's suffering was at an end. She was dead.

Slowly, the back of his neck prickling with the sense of another spirit in the room, he turned, meeting a pair of dark, almond shaped eyes, watching him intently. He held out his hand and a small slender one took it lovingly.

Now would begin the healing.


	2. Chapter One

AN: Ah! I apologize several times over for the lateness of this chapter. But there's absolutely no chance I would have managed to get it out earlier than this. I just recently finished my army service here in Israel (yes, that's very far away, I know). It was one of the most difficult things I've ever gone through and basically meant I was completely devoid of any writing ability for about twelve months. I've been as dry as desert nettles and have hardly managed to write a thing. I've been done for a week now and already everything's come back to me, so at least it wasn't permanent. I will definitely try to get chapters out as quickly as possible, but keep in mind that I'm alternating between this story, another fanfiction I'm writing and my first novel. Don't worry, though. I've got a month and a half of vacation before I start uni, so…

Enjoy!!!

**Angelus Patronus**

Chapter 1

Light gently filtered in through the open window, along with a soft spring breeze that ruffled the curtains ever so slightly, drifting across the room before finally finding its target.

Harry Potter furrowed his brow as the soft wind drew him out of his slumber. He turned over, eyes still closed, automatically reaching out for the person he knew was there next to him.

Only the spot on the bed was empty, the sheets cold.

Harry opened his eyes groggily, blinking several times before sitting up. He reached for his glasses on the night-table and put them on, looking around the room.

Ginny must have woken up early…

Harry got out of bed, pulling on a robe, and then padded his way into the hall and down the stairs quietly to the kitchen. There was a pot of coffee on the stove, still hot, and the back door was open.

Smiling, Harry poured himself a cup and stepped out onto the back porch. Ginny was there, as he'd suspected, sitting on the porch-swing, nursing her cup and staring out into the woods behind their house. She looked up as Harry drew near.

"Hey," she said softly, giving him a small smile.

"Hey," he answered and leaned down, kissing her lightly before sitting next to her.

The morning breeze continued to blow gently, ruffling Harry's unruly black hair. He had hoped at one point or another that his hair would settle down with time, but that had not been the case. However, he found he didn't mind his messy hair at all. Ginny seemed to love it.

The song birds had only just really started chirping, and the sun had barely crested the treetops, throwing the sky into pearly pink disarray.

Ginny sighed next to him and Harry looked away from the breaking morning. His wife seemed troubled. Ginny was frowning slightly, a small crease between her eyebrows.

"What is it?" Harry asked softly. He knew something was bothering her; it was probably what had woken her up this morning.

Ginny's expression cleared and she smiled slightly. "Oh, it's nothing, really. Just… thinking."

"You're worried about today, aren't you?"

Ginny laughed gently, a sound that sent shivers up his spine even after the ten years they'd been together. "You know me too well."

Harry grinned and reached over to brush a stray lock of hair behind Ginny's ear. "Not as well as you know me. You could probably guess exactly what I'm going to say right now."

Ginny rolled her eyes but humored him. "You're sure everything will be fine and that we just have to have faith." Ginny shook her head, but she was smiling. "And that I'm too pretty to mar my features with worry lines," she added as an after-thought, giggling.

Harry smiled and leaned in, kissing his wife's neck. He could feel her shiver and heard her sharp intake of breath.

"That," he said, "is one of your best predictions yet."

Harry stood up and stretched, then turned to Ginny, smiling in a way entirely different than before. "I'm going to go take a shower. Care to join me?"

Ginny's eyes widened and Harry couldn't help the sense of satisfaction he got out of the soft pink that tinged his wife's cheeks a moment later.

The blush faded to be replaced with a smirk that could only be described as, well, evil. Harry swallowed.

"You'll have to catch me first," Ginny stated and then was off, sprinting inside the house and up the stairs, Harry in glorious pursuit.

* * *

Cedric didn't know if he'd ever seen a more beautiful sunset. It was almost as though the sun had drawn the clouds together in just a certain way at just the right time, setting them off into a cacophony of colors. Blushing reds and oranges, yellows and purples, all mixing in with the dimming blue of the evening sky… It was almost as though it was just for him and-

For him and Cho.

Cho. The concept still hadn't quite registered. He'd just been getting used to the idea of having to wait a lifetime (literally) before he'd be able to speak to her, smell her, touch her… And then, so suddenly…

Almost as though to reassure himself once more that this was real, Cedric ran his hands up Cho's arms to her neck, pulling her hair to the side and resting his chin on her shoulder. He could feel her shiver under his touch and he closed his eyes, setting down in his memory just what this felt like.

Cedric could remember the last time he'd held her before today. That gift they'd both been given ten years ago, the chance to say goodbye. That had been the last time he'd touched her, kissed her. And now, he couldn't get over it, couldn't get enough of her.

The wind ruffled the feathers on his wings and he unfolded them, wrapping them around him and Cho. She started slightly, but then relaxed, sighing.

"An angel…" she murmured, smiling. "I remember, or at least I think I do…" She turned slightly to face him. "I knew all this time that you were an angel. I don't know how, but I knew it for certain. I must have dreamt it. You told me good-bye and you told me to live my life and to be happy… It was a long time ago but it let me breathe again. I don't know how long it would have taken me to recover on my own…"

Cedric tightened his hold on Cho and they sat there together in silence for a while, in the middle of the sky, with nothing below them but cloud and a distant view of the Earth.

"Cedric?" Cho queried after several minutes had passed, whispering as though afraid to shatter the moment.

"Hmm?"

There was silence and Cedric opened his eyes. Something was bothering her.

"What is it?" he asked, turning his head so he could see her more clearly.

Cho bit her lip and glanced at him, uncertainty flashing across her features. Cedric raised an eyebrow, prompting her to speak.

"Aren't you, well, angry with me?"

Cedric furrowed his brow in confusion. "Angry? Why would I be?"

Cho's lower lip quivered as she turned to face him fully. "Because of everything. Because of Gerald, because of the baby…" There was a pause and Cho's eyes filled with tears. "I forgot you."

Cedric shook his head, smiling softly. "No you didn't, Cho. I was watching you. You spoke to me every night. Just because you couldn't see me didn't mean I wasn't listening. I've got most of it fixed to memory… Did you think I'd forgotten _you_? As for Gerald… Cho, no one could expect you to put your life on hold just because I went away. That's not the way it works. Maybe in this particular case it would have been better… _Bastard…_" Cedric muttered darkly. "I can't believe he left you like that. I can't believe anyone would leave you. Of course, I can't talk, I did the same…"

Now it was Cho's turn to be indignant. "Don't you say any such thing! As though you had a say in it!"

Cedric chuckled. "Okay, you're right, I suppose. What I'm trying to say, is that no one can foretell how these things will work out. Actually, you're lucky."

"How did you figure that out? In case you hadn't noticed, I'm dead…"

Cedric laughed. "Shh, we don't use the "D" word here. We prefer the term "Mortally Challenged"."

Cho shook her head, but couldn't help giggling despite herself.

"Now, despite the aforementioned fact," -more giggling- "you _are_ lucky. Cho," Cedric became serious, "you brought a new life into the world. There's a brand new soul somewhere down there because of you. I just wish…" He fell silent.

"What?" Cho asked, curious.

Cedric looked away over the setting sun. "I wish I could have done the same."

"Oh Cedric…" Cho whispered, kissing his cheek. "He's more yours than Gerald's. Gerald didn't care. When he found out I was pregnant, he just took off without a word. He should've waited around. I can't imagine what he would of thought about me being a witch... Anyway, tell me if I'm wrong, but you were there everyday, weren't you?"

Cedric nodded.

"And you were helping me out, weren't you? That's what you do, isn't it? You help people?"

Cedric turned to look Cho in the eyes. "I've been watching over you since I left, helping in any way I could."

Cho nodded. "Well, then you're more of the baby's father than Gerald ever will be. Cedric, you saved his life. He's not alive just because of me. He wouldn't have made it at all if you hadn't-" Cho shook her head.

They were both silent for a time as the sky began to darken. The moon was cresting the clouds to the West.

"Cedric, what's going to happen to him now?"

Cedric shrugged, holding Cho tighter. "I don't know. He'll be put up for adoption."

Cho shivered, though this time, Cedric knew it wasn't because of him. "How do we know he's going to be okay?"

Cedric shrugged once again. "We don't unless somebody-" he cut off abruptly, sitting up straight.

"What?" Cho asked in alarm. "Unless what?"

Cedric looked at her, an incredulous grin spreading across his face.

"Unless somebody we know acts as Guardian."

Cho looked confused. "What does that mean?"

Cedric shook his head, remembering that Cho still knew very little about the after-life. "Whites play several roles in helping those still living down below. One of those roles is Guardian. You know, a sort of guardian angel, a constant patronus. Normally, blood relatives are forbidden to act as Guardian, but I…" Cedric's grin broke into a full-blown smile. He stood up quickly, pulling Cho up with him.

"I have to go," he said, turning to leave. Cho still didn't seem to understand, but when she began to question, Cedric shook his head, stopping her. "Later," he said, leaning down to kiss her quickly. Then remembering something, he pulled back. "Just one question before I go. What did you plan on naming him?"

There could be no doubt as to who Cedric meant. Cho answered, still not quite understanding. "Wayde. I was going to name him Wayde."

"Wayde…" Cedric knew the name and its meaning. The irony was not lost on him. "It's perfect. I love you." He kissed Cho once again in good-bye and took off, heading back towards the Imperial City.

* * *

Nurse Hutchins had been an unbeliever up to that morning. Nothing in her life had ever given her reason to believe in anything besides what she could see and hear and touch. But that morning, she could have sworn there were angels in the operating room of the maternity ward. That poor woman…

But the baby… It had been a miracle. The baby had been still-born, blue and cold. Nurse Hutchins had just been "tsk"ing to herself at how sad the whole ordeal was when she'd felt wings, yes, wings, wrap around her and the babe. She could feel the feathers, as soft as snow, but with none of a winter snow's cold. No, there had been nothing but warmth in that embrace, warmth and a love of life.

Nurse Hutchins shook herself mentally. This was the fifth time today that she'd caught herself daydreaming about angels and it was beginning to get ridiculous. Sighing, she turned to the next birth certificate she was supposed to be filling out. Her eyes widened when she realized it was that of the orphaned baby from that morning. Yes, she was beginning to believe…

Shaking her head, she poised her pen above the line for "name". Normally, the nurses named all orphaned boys "Tom" and all girls "Emily", but something made her hesitate here. She felt as though this baby deserved more than a random name given to dozens of others like him.

It was while she was pondering this that she felt it again. A feeling similar as to that of that morning. Only this time it was more of a warm wind than a presence. Nurse Hutchins felt herself drift off lazily, smiling vaguely at the sensation. She really out to start praying once in a while…

Suddenly, she sat up with a start, a name popping into her head. "Oh, that's a nice one," she exclaimed to herself, proud of having thought of it. She wrote it down and filled in the rest of the fields, and then filed the certificate with the other orphaned children who were to be put up for adoption.

* * *

Cedric smiled as he watched the tiny sleeping form of Cho's son. The perfect little hands, closed tightly in little fists, the miniscule nose, the tuft of black hair… A life just begun…

He looked up as he heard the door open and a nurse entered, making her way to where he stood. She reached out,þ taking off the small blue sign marked "anonymous" and replacing it with a new one. Cedric smiled at the name written there.

Wayde.

Angel from God.

TBC


End file.
